Cattogs House,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Cattogs House is a large two storey residence, set at the end of a long drive to the E of the Killinchy Road, roughly a mile S of Comber. The house is double gabled and has the look of a property which has evolved over the years, possibly 18th century in origin, but probably having adopted its present shape in the late 1800s. Unfortunately the writers were unable to survey this house and all they could observe in any detail was the front façade and this only from a distance. At an even greater distance (and at an angle) they could also see a portion of the N elevation.

The front façade faces W and is symmetrical. In the centre of the ground floor is a timber panelled door flanked Ionic column jambs with two pane sidelights beyond. Above these is a wide elliptical arch fanlight with spoke tracery, with the whole doorway ensemble contained within an elliptical arch with simple moulded surround. To either side of the doorway is a two storey, hipped roof, canted bay. Each face of each bay to each floor has a sash window with Georgian panes. Pilaster-like piers between the ground floor windows. Simple moulded panels between ground and first floor windows. All bay windows rest on a cill course. Between the bays (directly above the doorway) is a single first floor window, with frame as before and simple moulded surround. The front façade is rendered (possibly lined) and painted. Chamfered quoins.

Part of the rear gabled section of the house stretches S beyond the line of the front gable, exposing an W facing portion of the rear section. This portion appears to be finished in unpainted rough cast render and has a first floor window with frame as before.

The N front gable has a first floor sash window to the left, with a small semicircular headed two pane attic window.

The front section of the roof (at least) is covered in Bangor blue slates. Two yellow brick chimney stacks to front section of the house, with octagonal pots. There appear to be two similar pots to the rear section also.

When first surveyed in 1973 this house had sash windows to front with horizontal glazing bars only, also the chimney breasts were flush with the gable with the stacks placed on top of the ridge. Today the chimney breasts are ‘projecting’ from the gables, with the stacks beyond the ridge, with a stack to the S rear gable removed altogether.

Historical information

The 1834 OS map shows a building marked ‘Cattogs House’, on the site of the front gabled portion of the present house, with another building to the south-west. The 1833 valuation survey tells us that the house at this stage was the residence of a James McKee, had a rateable value of £8-2-0, measured 41ft x 22 x 20½ and was judged by the valuers to be relatively old, perhaps 18th century. The dimensions (which also took in half the height of any attic level) of the 1833 house appear to match those of the present front section. By 1858, when the revised OS map was prepared, an extension had been added to the rear of the house, an extension which is shown at its present size on the 1901 OS map. The bays, (which incidentally are not shown on any 6in OS map- including the most recent), were probably added in late Victorian times.

The 1863 valuation notes that the house was still in possession of a James Mckee, presumably the same man mentioned in the 1834 survey (or son or other relative), but by 1886 it had passed either to a Robert Bell or a John Petticrew.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI D.654/M1B/1-25 Londonderry Papers- leases relating to Cattogs townland 1750-1849.
2 PRONI VAL 1B/316A p.52 1st valuation, Comber.
3 PRONI OS/1/3/10 OS map, 1st ed. 1834, Down 10.
4 PRONI OS/6/3/10/3 OS map, 1st rev. 1858, Down 10.
5 PRONI 2nd valuation, Comber., c.1863
6 George Henry Bassett ‘County Down Guide and Directory’ (Dublin 1886), pp.303-305.
7 PRONI OS/2/3/10 OS map, 2nd ed. 1901, Down 10.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Large two storey, double-gabled residence with canted bays to front. The main front section of this house is probably pre 1834 and may well be 18th century, however, the property owes its present form to the late 1800s, when the rear gabled section appears to have been added along with the canted bays.